Piping Horror
polycounter lvl 12
Starting up on the next monster, whose brief called for a sort of nightmare busker made out of second hand meat and parts. I got sign off on the sketch and am ready for inking. Hopefully it'll go faster than the lich now that I know the process and the desirable line weights.
Replies
@Yourname942: Well he went through a series of revisions. Lots of starter concepts and regular feedback are key to beating that, 'what should I draw' uncertainty. The character was one of a couple of critters, another being a rib cage full of eyeballs and arms, and another which was a series of Dali-esk stilt legs supporting a globe skull covered in ears. Originally Piper Bo-Jangles, as I've taken to calling him, was a couple of stubby legs with a child like head and a simple bone flute, but as I worked with the client and pushed the design further based on feedback he started to become a sort of fleshy street musician. I think the order of changes went:
Face flute
Skull intestine hooters
Extra leg for dancing/clapping
Massive organic lung collection bagpipe
And it finished with the clanking percussion bones on his dick tail thing.
As for whether or not it comes naturally I spent my childhood playing horror games and looking at fucked up artwork. It takes practice, but the essential question to ask at every stage is: Does this make me uncomfortable, and could I take it further? When the client asks for nightmares and their first text response on seeing the piece is, "Vomit" you know you've done your job.
@Mad - Thanks! Hopefully I'll have more for you guys as the week goes on.
I'm gonna be really pressed on how to clearly separate the fingers of each hand, and before anyone mentions the closer arm, I totally know the line weights on those muscle lines are super shitty. I'll be working on that.
Any suggestions would be welcome as always!
...but really, beyond that, looks awesome. :thumbup:
All in all, still loving this. And... are those lower hands clapping along...?
@Bagel Hero: Let me know what you think of the latest update. I'm trying to ease up on the detail in the arms a bit (probably not enough) to get them to pop against the relative noise of the organs. It probably needs a bit of work.
Still working on the dial back. I think I'm in the right direction (I'm always saying that) with the heavy black in the backpipe sack. and with just a few extra rim lights here and there the curvature of the forms should finally start to pop. Relatively happy overall but still have a ways to go.
Turned out pretty boss, thanks for posting!
I love all of the gruesome details, and the bold linework is lovely. Hope to see much more from you!